Francis Rossi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis Rossi
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Rossi performing with Status Quo in 2017
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Francis Dominic Nicholas Michael Rossi |
| Also known as | Mike Rossi, Frame, The GOMOR (The Grand Old Man of Rock) |
| Born | 29 May 1949 Forest Hill, London, England |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day |
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| Years active | 1962–present |
Francis Dominic Nicholas Michael Rossi, OBE (born 29 May 1949) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He is a co-founder, lead singer, and lead guitarist for the rock band Status Quo. He is the only member who has been with the band since the very beginning.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Francis Rossi was born on May 29, 1949, in Forest Hill, London. His family had an ice cream business in South London. He grew up with many family members, including his parents, grandmother, aunts, and uncles. He was named after Saint Francis of Assisi. During holidays, he often visited his grandparents in Crosby, Merseyside.
He went to primary school and then Sedgehill Comprehensive School. On his last day of school, he was expelled for letting classmates draw on his uniform. Rossi wanted to be a musician after seeing the Everly Brothers play live on television. He then asked his parents for a guitar for Christmas.
Francis Rossi's Music Career
Starting Out in Music
In 1962, while at Sedgehill Comprehensive School, Rossi became good friends with Alan Lancaster. Alan later became the bassist for Status Quo. They formed a band called the Scorpions with two other classmates. Their first show was in Dulwich.
Later, a new drummer, John Coghlan, joined the band, and they changed their name to the Spectres. The Spectres wrote their own songs and played live shows. They soon added keyboard player Roy Lynes to the group.
In 1965, the Spectres played at a Butlins holiday camp. There, Rossi met Rick Parfitt, who was playing in another band. Rossi and Parfitt became close friends and decided to work together in the future. In 1966, the Spectres signed a record deal. They released three songs, but none of them became hits. The group changed their name again, this time to Traffic Jam.
Success with Status Quo
In 1967, Traffic Jam changed its name to The Status Quo, and later just Status Quo. Soon after, Rick Parfitt joined the band. This completed the original lineup and started a nearly 50-year partnership between Rossi and Parfitt.
Rossi wrote a song called "Pictures of Matchstick Men". This song became a hit in both the UK and the US in 1968. This launched their career of making hit songs. In 1972, the band's album Piledriver reached number 5 on the album charts. It included "Paper Plane", a song written by Rossi and Bob Young.
Status Quo continued to be very successful in the UK, Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand throughout the 1970s and 1980s. They were the first band to play at Live Aid in 1985. Rossi wrote or co-wrote some of their biggest hits, like "Caroline" and their only number one song, "Down Down".
On early Status Quo albums, up until 1971, Rossi was credited as Mike Rossi. He explained in 1996 that the band's first manager thought his real name sounded "too fancy." So, he had to change it to Mike. Within the band, he is known as "Frame" or "The Gomor," which stands for "The Grand Old Man of Rock."
Rossi and Parfitt were the only original members left in the band until Parfitt passed away in 2016. In 2013 and 2014, Rossi and Parfitt reunited with original bandmates Alan Lancaster and John Coghlan for special concerts. Over their career, Status Quo has sold more than 128 million albums around the world.
Other Music Projects
In 1984, Rossi and Parfitt were part of the Band Aid charity song, "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Rossi has also worked on his own music projects outside of Status Quo.
In 1985, he recorded two songs with his writing partner Bernie Frost. These songs were "Modern Romance (I Want to Fall in Love Again)" and "Jealousy." In 1996, he released a solo album called King of the Doghouse. It wasn't a big commercial success, but one song, "Give Myself to Love," reached number 42 in the UK.
In 1976, he appeared on the soundtrack for the film All This and World War II. This album featured cover versions of songs by the Beatles. In 1977, he produced and played guitar on John Du Cann's solo album. On May 3, 2010, Rossi released his second solo album, One Step at a Time. This album included a new version of Quo's 1973 song "Caroline".
In 2013, Rossi starred as himself with Rick Parfitt in the adventure comedy film Bula Quo!. The movie followed them on an adventure in Fiji, where they got involved in local activities.
In 2019, Rossi released an album called We Talk Too Much with singer and violinist Hannah Rickard. The same year, he released his autobiography (a book about his own life) called I Talk Too Much. He also announced a tour where he would talk about his life and career.
Musical Equipment
Rossi's favorite guitar is the Fender Telecaster. He has used several of these guitars over the years. His most famous one is a green 1957 model with a maple neck. He bought it in 1968. It was originally a different color but was painted green in 1970. Over time, some parts of the guitar were replaced.
He also owns two other green Fender Telecasters. These are brighter in color and have rosewood necks. One is used for the song "Down Down" and the other for "Whatever You Want".
In December 2014, Rossi was sad when his green 1957 Telecaster became too old to use properly. The wood had become too soft to keep the guitar in tune. The guitar was sold at an auction in 2019 for a lot of money.
For his sound, Rossi uses Marshall amplifiers with large speaker cabinets. He also uses other equipment to make his guitar sound louder and clearer. The sound from his Marshall setup is mixed with Vox AC30 amplifiers, which are placed behind his main setup. In the studio, he also uses computer software for his sound.
Music Style and Stage Presence
Francis Rossi and the band Status Quo have sometimes been called "uncool." Rossi himself even said in 2013 that Status Quo in 1974 was "the most uncool band in the world."
On stage, Rossi usually wears a black vest, blue jeans, and white sneakers. In a review of a Status Quo concert in 2000, a writer for The Guardian newspaper said that the white sneakers were the only "visual" thing the band really had.
In a 2007 interview, Rossi said he looked up to Little Richard. He explained that this is where Status Quo got their energy. He believes that to play rock and roll well, you need to move and be energetic.
Personal Life
Rossi married his second wife, Eileen, in 1989. He has eight children from his two marriages. In 2011, he mentioned that all of his children played music professionally.
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For seventeen years, Rossi did not have contact with his daughter Bernadette. They reunited in 2007, and her band even opened for Status Quo on their tour that year.
In 2019, his autobiography, I Talk Too Much, was published. Rossi describes himself as a person who was raised Catholic but no longer practices the religion.
Rossi was known for his long ponytail, which he started growing around 1974. After 35 years, he cut it off in 2009. He noticed his hair was getting thinner as he got closer to his 60th birthday. He said he realized he looked "ridiculous" and decided it was time to "grow old gracefully."
Awards and Honors
Rossi was given the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) award in 2010. This honor was for his contributions to music and his charity work. Rick Parfitt also received the same award.
Rossi said that meeting the Queen was a very humbling experience. He mentioned that playing for 50,000 people is one thing, but talking to the Queen is completely different.
Discography
- King of the Doghouse (1996)
- One Step at a Time (2010)
- We Talk Too Much (2019)
Images for kids
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Rossi in 2013
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See also
In Spanish: Francis Rossi para niños
